Members of the Rwandan community in Ghana, on Saturday, November 27 launched the Umuganda in the West African country.
Translated as 'coming together in common purpose to achieve an outcome,' Umuganda is a homegrown solution where people in Rwanda convene regularly to carry out communal work – specifically related to sanitation, in addition to discussing issues that affect their communities.
The launch in Ghana was done in collaboration with the Rwandan High Commission there, the Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly and the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources of Ghana.
The cleaning exercise was joined by top Ghanaian local government officials, diplomatic corps, and the Rwandan community in Ghana as well as residents of Ayawaso West Municipality.
Also, members of the Dzowulu neighbourhood, a suburb of Accra where the Rwanda High Commission is situated, undertook various communal activities including unclogging gutters, planting trees, clearing of rubbish, weeding, sweeping, among others.
In Rwanda, Umuganda is held every last Saturday of the month to allow members of the community to come together to collectively undertake projects of common good and address social and economic challenges.
Dr. Aisa Kirabo Kacyira, the High Commissioner of Rwanda to Ghana, in her remarks at the event highlighted the objectives of Umuganda and how the monthly activity has helped communities in Rwanda to address developmental and societal challenges and served as a platform to unify.
"Umuganda has been instrumental in rebuilding our unity, propagating a culture of ownership and a shared responsibility for community and national development, resulting in communities coming together to solve challenges previously seen as out of their reach”.
She added: "Rwandans have built classrooms, homes for vulnerable members of the community and paved neighbourhood roads, contributing to improved standards of life”.
Kacyira also highlighted the importance of the dialogue that follows the physical work, where community members meet with their local leaders and engage in an open discussion about any issues they consider important.
She noted that this has contributed to rebuilding unity, peace and social cohesion.
She commended presidents Paul Kagame and Nana Akufo Addo for being "champions of communities,” taking ownership of their progress especially in maintaining sanitation and environmental conservation.
"We are grateful to our presidents for their leadership which has demonstrated to us that by coming together, we can achieve anything we envisage.”
Representing the government of Ghana at the Umuganda launch, Sandra Owusu Ahinkorah, the Chief Executive of the Municipal Assembly of Ayawaso West lauded the initiative and reiterated that it is in line with the initiatives launched by President Akuffo Addo.
She promised the High Commission of continued and stronger collaboration.
Speaking on the behalf of the Diplomatic Corps, Claudia Quinterro, the Ambassador of Colombia to Ghana commended Umuganda as a great initiative that should be embraced and emulated through South-South Cooperation, as she emphasized the ideals of peace and unity that it promotes.